The Walsh Garden represents the plant selections common to New England in the 1700s, when gardening began to satisfy needs for leisure as well as for food. This new pasttime helped introduce ornamental elements such as the Federal-style grape arbor and bench, complemented with "collectible" ornamental plants. Often brought back to America from mercantile sailing voyages, including those made by Captain Keyran Walsh who built the adjacent house, plants included the China rose, lilac (the first lilacs in the country were introduced nearby in Portsmouth at the home of Royal Governor Benning Wentworth), currants, peony, iris and daylilies. Native plants such as Oswego tea and Joe Pye weed accented the exotic.

This garden is dedicated to the memory of Sally Childs who helped to plant the seeds of the garden program at Strawbery Banke Museum.